Abstract: An optical disk physical has a recording region divided into zones, each zone including physical tracks adjacent to each other. An integer number of sectors are provided in each physical track. The angular recording density is higher in the more outward zones such that the linear recording density is substantially constant throughout the recording region, and logical tracks are formed of a predetermined number of sectors, independent of the physical tracks. The conversion between the logical track and sector addresses read from the disk and the linear logical addresses supplied from a host device is easy. The addresses written in headers of the sectors in the logical track in which data are actually recorded, including substitute sectors used in place of defect sectors, are preferably consecutive to further facilitate the conversion between the logical track and sector addresses read from the disk and the linear logical addresses supplied from the host device.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for simultaneously monitoring the fluid flux, and the dissolved contaminants fluxes, in a flow field is provided comprising the use of a permeable unit containing an insoluble sorbent matrix that retains dissolved contaminants. The matrix may also contain tracers that can be displaced by the fluid flow. The method of monitoring comprises placing permeable units in contact with the contaminated flow field, thereby allowing contaminants to flow through the permeable unit and be sorbed on the insoluble sorbent matrix. Sufficient time is allowed for the contaminant concentrations in the flow field to reach equilibrium. The permeable unit is then removed from contact with the flow field and analyzed to determine cumulative contaminant fluxes and cumulative fluid fluxes.

Abstract: An optical disk physical has a recording region divided into zones, each zone including physical tracks adjacent to each other. An integer number of sectors are provided in each physical track. The angular recording density is higher in the more outward zones such that the linear recording density is substantially constant throughout the recording region, and logical tracks are formed of a predetermined number of sectors, independent of the physical tracks. The conversion between the logical track and sector addresses read from the disk and the linear logical addresses supplied from a host device is easy. The addresses written in headers of the sectors in the logical track in which data are actually recorded, including substitute sectors used in place of defect sectors, are preferably consecutive to further facilitate the conversion between the logical track and sector addresses read from the disk and the linear logical addresses supplied from the host device.

Abstract: An optical disk has a recording region divided into ones, each zone including physical tracks which are divided into a number of sectors. The optical disk further includes a structure management table which stores an attribute for each zone indicating whether the corresponding zone is a recording area which permits rewriting or a recording area that does not permit rewriting.

Abstract: The invention relates to an improved method for the manufacture of magnetically responsive particles, also called ferrofluids. The improved method involves a heat treatment step, which may occur at various times during the preparation of the materials, including during subdivision of the magnetic starting material, during the addion of a coating material, after formation of a magnetically responsive particle, or some combination thereof. The materials formed by such a process have numerous advantages over materials formed by other processes, including enhanced salt stability, increased coating uptake, and increased binding capacity. These ferrofluids have applications in a variety of preparative and diagnostic techniques, including immunoassay, cell separations, toxicity testing, food testing, environmental analysis, and MRI.

Abstract: An active load (12) is provided for an N channel logic network (10). The active load (12) includes a P channel device (28) coupled to the output node (14) of the N channel network (10). A clock circuit (16) of the active load (12) determines whether the N channel network (10) is in a steady state or a switching mode. If the N channel network (10) is in a switching mode, an intermediate voltage level, V.sub.bias, is applied at the gate of the P channel device (28) to facilitate fast switching at the output node (14) with low quiescent power consumption and without compromising compact semiconductor layout.

Abstract: An intelligent controller of a peripheral device such as a disk drive which stores utility algorithms. In a first embodiment, the utility algorithms are transferred from the peripheral device to a host computer in order to eliminate the need to have utility software pre-loaded into the computer. In a second embodiment, the algorithm stored within the peripheral device is executed by processing circuitry within the peripheral device in order to free the host computer to perform other tasks as the utility is being executed by the peripheral device. Exemplary utilities which may be executed by the peripheral device include data compression, data format conversion, automatic disk error correction, back-up of the disk's file allocation table or other vital disk or file information into a secondary file allocation table within the peripheral device, automatic file back-up or any other desired utility.

Abstract: A magnetic disc storage system includes a magnetic storage disc and a transducing head. During periods of inactivity the transducing head is dithered whereby the head is moved to tracks on the disc according to a number of criteria. The criteria includes wear reduction, power reduction, avoidance of textured zones, head cycling, increased fly height and clearing of debris carried on the head.

Abstract: An optical disk physical has a recording region divided into zones, each zone including physical tracks adjacent to each other. An integer number of sectors are provided in each physical track. The angular recording density is higher in the more outward zones such that the linear recording density is substantially constant throughout the recording region, and logical tracks are formed of a predetermined number of sectors, independent of the physical tracks. The conversion between the logical track and sector addresses read from the disk and the linear logical addresses supplied from a host device is easy. The addresses written in headers of the sectors in the logical track in which data are actually recorded, including substitute sectors used in place of defect sectors, are preferably consecutive to further facilitate the conversion between the logical track and sector addresses read from the disk and the linear logical addresses supplied from the host device.

Abstract: This invention relates generally to methods of measuring interfacial areas, and more specifically to flow-based methods for measuring the area of the interfaces between two immiscible fluids. The immiscible fluids of interest are various oils and gases that do not have significant solubility, and thus form a distinct fluid phase and exist as agglomerations of varying sizes of blobs or ganglia when added to aqueous solutions. Our invention permits the measurement of such fluid-fluid interface areas for two immiscible fluids present in flow systems. The flow-based method involves the introduction of an interfacial tracer chemical into the flow system in one of two modes: (1) step input, and (2) pulse input. The tracer is soluble to appreciable extent in only one of the two fluids, designated as the carrier fluid phase.

Abstract: An optical disk physical has a recording region divided into zones, each zone including physical tracks adjacent to each other. An integer number of sectors are provided in each physical track. The angular recording density is higher in the more outward zones such that the linear recording density is substantially constant throughout the recording region, and logical tracks are formed of a predetermined number of sectors, independent of the physical tracks. The conversion between the logical track and sector addresses read from the disk and the linear logical addresses supplied from a host device is easy. The addresses written in headers of the sectors in the logical track in which data are actually recorded, including substitute sectors used in place of defect sectors, are preferably consecutive to further facilitate the conversion between the logical track and sector addresses read from the disk and the linear logical addresses supplied from the host device.

Abstract: The invention relates to an improved method for the manufacture of magnetically responsive particles, also called ferrofluids. The improved method involves a heat treatment step, which may occur at various times during the preparation of the materials, including during subdivision of the magnetic starting material, during the addion of a coating material, after formation of a magnetically responsive particle, or some combination thereof. The materials formed by such a process have numerous advantages over materials formed by other processes, including enhanced salt stability, increased coating uptake, and increased binding capacity. These ferrofluids have applications in a variety of preparative and diagnostic techniques, including immunoassay, cell separations, toxicity testing, food testing, environmental analysis, and MRI.

Abstract: A method for separation of a mixture of biological entities into at least three distinct, subpopulations. Different antibodies are provided, with each antibody bound to a solid support in a unique manner such that by a manipulation of the physical or chemical environment, the bonds between the antibodies and the solid supports can be selectively broken. The mixed population of cells is incubated with the antibodies. The cells are magnetically separated from a test medium and collected in a monolayer upon a collection surface. Then by manipulation of the physicochemical environment, specific linkages can be broken and desired cell subpopulations released from the collection surface. This method has medically significant diagnostic and therapeutic applications, as entire cell types can be separated from non-malignant medically vital cell types. Cancer can be diagnosed, staged, and monitored. Genetic analysis from maternal blood, CVS, or amniocentesis samples is possible.

Abstract: An intelligent controller of a peripheral device such as a disk drive which stores utility algorithms. In a first embodiment, the utility algorithms are transferred from the peripheral device to a host computer in order to eliminate the need to have utility software pre-loaded into the computer. In a second embodiment, the algorithm stored within the peripheral device is executed by processing circuitry within the peripheral device in order to free the host computer to perform other tasks as the utility is being executed by the peripheral device. Exemplary utilities which may be executed by the peripheral device include data compression, data format conversion, automatic disk error correction, back-up of the disk's file allocation table or other vital disk or file information into a secondary file allocation table within the peripheral device, automatic file back-up or any other desired utility.

Abstract: A method is disclosed of preparing a colorless, clear beer by a method including ultrafiltration and the addition of dextrins, bittering agents and a foam enhancer. Methods of preparing improved nonalcoholic malt beverages and making natural beer foaming components also are disclosed. Further methods are disclosed for making flavored malt beverages, including a stable citrus flavored malt beverage.

Abstract: An optical disk physical has a recording region divided into zones, each zone including physical tracks adjacent to each other. An integer number of sectors are provided in each physical track. The angular recording density is higher in the more outward zones such that the linear recording density is substantially constant throughout the recording region, and logical tracks are formed of a predetermined number of sectors, independent of the physical tracks. The conversion between the logical track and sector addresses read from the disk and the linear logical addresses supplied from a host device is easy. The addresses written in headers of the sectors in the logical track in which data are actually recorded, including substitute sectors used in place of defect sectors, are preferably consecutive to further facilitate the conversion between the logical track and sector addresses read from the disk and the linear logical addresses supplied from the host device.

Abstract: A cell matrix receptor specific for laminin expressed on the surface of carcinoma and epithelial cells is provided. The binding of these cells to extracellular matrix is mediated by the laminin molecule, which has binding domains for type IV collagen of the matrix and the cell surface receptor. Fragments of the laminin molecule lacking the type IV collagen binding domain and antibodies to the receptor are useful in conjunction with the cell receptor as ligands in binding assays for cancer diagnosis and in cancer management.